Perfectly Scarred
by 39addict101
Summary: For scrittore18...for winning first place in the WOS contest. Jonead. More info inside.


**This is for scrittore18...for winning first place in the War of the Ships competition. (Finally, I know...I'm so sorry.)**

 **Her OTP is Jonead, and that is what she did for her entry.**

 **She got a first place, with a perfect score.**

 **But, scrittore, I must apologize, because this is awful. Plus, it took me forever to write.**

 **I'm sorry, I feel so bad about it.**

 **But anyway, enjoy your story!**

* * *

He remembered when he realized she would be one of the competition in the life-changing hunt for the 39 Clues He'd thought, "Oh, man...yo, dude, this is going be tricky."

Sinead Starling was a genius, as were her brothers. Ted (or was it Ned?) had a doctorate degree in physics...and Ned (or was it Ted?) had a doctorate degree in earth science.

Not something that he'd ever been good at. Which meant that competition and stakes were quite high.

Not only were they geniuses, but they were all striking. Sinead was a beauty contest winner...much better than a pageant queen.

When he looked at her, he felt a weird indescribable emotion flood him. He would suddenly find himself stuttering, which was, unimaginable, since he'd been talking to crowds since he was three.

She would always stare at him like he was an alien with five heads, and he didn't know why. He had put on his best chains, ripped skinny jeans, and sometimes he even put in his one earring.

Later he realized that maybe she didn't like him to like hip all the time...

So he tried to be normal. But normal for Jonah Wizard was dancing on a stage, with ripped black jeans, leather jackets, piercings, and rapping.

Sinead Starling stared at him like he was a maniac.

She would laugh at him, her beautiful eyes sparkling, and then she would shake her head and walk away.

Maybe it was because she was three years older...

Or it could have been the fact that she was accepted into college at fourteen, while he was still struggling with sixth grade math?

She had, thankfully, declined, to stay and play lacrosse, which for some odd reason Jonah had tried to learn. He wasn't a Tomas.

Sinead also didn't get his music, she had only been to four Taylor Swift concerts in her life...and she hadn't liked them. (Or so she said, but Jonah refused to believe it.)

It hurt him to know that her sixteen year old body had been damaged, and that by the time she was seventeen, the scars had become normal parts of her body.

She hated the Cahills, mostly the Tomas, because of what they had done to her brothers...and her, even if she wouldn't acknowledge it. He thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't a Tomas.

He knew she didn't know that he knew about her scars. It wasn't his fault he'd cracked the door open when she'd been changing...her scars, he thought, gave her character, and a virtuous beauty. But he would _never_ tell her that.

He now stared blankly at the wall, thinking depressing thoughts, and wondering where Sinead was.

He tried not to think about her, but he found her invading his thoughts constantly. Sinead was three years older than he was, and more mature, and the simple way she had of laughing would wedge itself into his head, and it wouldn't leave.

"Yo, dude." He told himself. "Get a wrap on life."

"Jonah." Someone said. He glanced up to see it was Sinead. "You've been staring at the wall for the past half an hour like you love it. What's up?"

Jonah frowned. "Nothing, man." He said. "I mean...woman? Uh..." He paused. He always did this around her, and it drove him _crazy._

But he could never control it. It was like his mind froze up, and then he couldn't think. So then he (stupidly) blurted out everything that came into his head.

Sinead rolled her eyes. "Jonah. Its fine. Just call me whatever you'd call Amy."

Jonah paused. "So...you're saying you want me to call you Amy?"

Sinead sighed, and smacked her palm to her forehead with a loud _smack._ Then she laughed. "No, you idiot."

Jonah was inwardly laughing too, but he tried to act confused. "But you said to call you whatever I call Amy. I call Amy _Amy_...so, I should therefore call you Amy too."

Sinead rolled her honey eyes. "Quit trying to be smart with me, Jonah." She said.

Jonah finally couldn't take it any longer, and he burst out laughing. "I'm not..." He gasped. "Trying to be smart." _wheeze_ Then he mentally cringed. Wheezing was not the Jonah Wizard thing to do.

When he looked up at Sinead to see if she'd noticed, he saw that she was laughing as hard as he was. "Sometimes, Jonah." She said, gasping for breath. "You just make me want to laugh. Then I end up crying." She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

Then she stopped laughing, and looked down at her slim wrist, where a nice watch lay. She gasped, and brushed red hair out of her moist eyes. "Jonah." She said. "I hate to break this up, but I really have to go."

"Oh." Jonah said.

He waved her off and then sat staring at the wall again, until Dan bounced next to him. He plunked down on the couch next to him. "Hey." He said.

When Jonah didn't respond. _Oops._ , Dan waved a hand in front of Jonah's staring eyes. "Yo, man, what's up?"

Jonah snapped out of it. "Nothing."

Dan narrowed his green eyes. "Nothing always means something. Just tell me."

Before Jonah knew what was happening, he blurted out, "You know when you like a girl who will never like you back?"

Dan nodded. "Why don't you ask Ian? And I'd say ask Evan...except..." His voice trailed off, not bothering to say the unmentionable. He motioned to where Ian stood awkwardly by Jake and Amy who were conversing and laughing, completely ignoring Ian.

It was at that moment that Jonah felt pity for Ian.

"Maybe I'll go start a pity party for the dude." He murmured.

Dan cocked his head, looking at Jonah's forlorn expression. "Why don't you go talk to Ian?" He paused, watching Jonah's face.

Jonah's face remained blank, and he simply shrugged, so Dan yelled, "Yo, Ian, c'mere!"

Ian turned his head in their direction. His handsome face was confused. "What?" He asked.

"Come here." Dan commanded. "Jonah wants to talk to you."

"I do?" Jonah said. He had _not_ said that.

Ian came over slowly, his eyes sorrowful. "What, Jonah?"

Jonah looked at Ian blankly.

Dan sighed, and stated Jonah's question.

Ian involuntarily glanced in Amy's direction. "Oh." He said. "You...live with it?" His words came out sounding more like a question than an answer.

Dan shook his head. "No! You ask her out!"

Ian glanced at Dan. "Since when are you such an expert?"

Dan sighed. "You aren't! You just stand there and let Amy flirt with Jake while you stand around moping! Do something!"

Ian perked up. "You're saying I should ask her out? What's that mean?"

Jonah smiled. "This is where I come in, yo, dawg." He smiled. "Ask her out means to ask her to date you. 'Going out' is another term for dating."

"Oh." Ian said. He stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in his Ralph Lauren suit. "I have a mission."

"You too." Dan said. "Sinead is coming back tomorrow."

Jonah did a double take. "How'd you know it was Sinead?"

Dan smiled. "I watched you lovesick boys."

"Oh." Jonah said, sounding exactly like Ian.

* * *

Sinead lied. She didn't have to go anywhere, but, she needed to try and analyze her feelings for Jonah.

Jonah, who had five million plus fans. Jonah, who wore ripped skinny jeans, which, he looked amazing in.

Jonah, who wore one earring, that Sinead really wanted to rip out.

Jonah, who liked her.

It didn't seem possible, but she recognized the signs. She wasn't fourteen anymore, she was twenty years old. She had, believe it or not, studied up on human behavior, specifically to try and understand Jonah's behavior.

It confused her, even though she knew what it meant.

Why would Jonah like her?

She was older than he was, and even though some called her pretty, she didn't believe them.

She ran her hands up and down her arms without thinking, feeling the ancient scars. Scars which had changed her life.

She would no longer wear a bikini...or a swimsuit, for that matter. No place sold long sleeved swim suits. Sure, she could easily get a body suit, but that would be weird.

When she was invited to go swimming, she always had something better to do.

Sinead bit her lip. Would Jonah still like her if he knew about her scars?

Would he look at her, with disgust running through his body? Would he mumble some excuse and then walk away?

She never wore short sleeves, even in the summer. Her brothers didn't even know, much less her...her...what was he? Her crush? Somehow that didn't seem right. She wasn't a sixth grader. She was twenty years old!

She ran her hands up her sleeves, feeling the rigid lines that crisscrossed her pale skin. Sighing, Sinead stood up, and walked slowly back to the house, refusing to accept that she loved Jonah Wizard.

Walking back towards the house, she looked down at the green grass, and wished she could be like the grass. Grass was all so similar, and who sat down and picked out the differences between two blades of grass? No one she knew, that was for sure.

She stopped walking, and plunked down heavily, picking two blades. Holding them up in the light, she examined them carefully. They were so alike, it took a while for even her keen eyes to pick out a small blemish in the smaller blade in her right hand.

Blemished. That was her. She was scarred, blemished, discolored. No one would want her. No boy would ever look at her and think, "Wow. She's beautiful."

No guy would ever want to hold her, to mumble into her hair, "I love you."

Sinead dropped the grass, and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ease the pain that welled up inside her every time she thought those thoughts.

She looked up at the sun, where it blazed in the ocean of sky, and wished she could be sky. Sky was all the same...everywhere.

And then she realized she was wrong. Somewhere, it was storming, somewhere, it was cloudy. Various weather would always be everywhere. There would _never_ be one day that the weather was the same everywhere.

Diversity was everywhere in nature. But...scars were not diversity, right?

The grass around her blurred as her eyes filled with tears. She rubbed her eyes, and told herself, "Stop. You are twenty years old. You can deal with this. By yourself."

No one knew about her scars. Well, except her doctor, but she made him swear to secrecy not to tell her parents. And, since she had been sixteen at the time, they had promised not too. But it might have had something to do with the fact that she threatened the place with a bomb...

Thankfully, the doctor's had said they would, and nothing had come back to her about that bomb.

Standing up, she walked inside, drying her tears on her sleeve. As soon as she stepped in, she bumped into Jonah, who looked very uncomfortable. "Sorry." He said.

Then he noticed her bloodshot eyes and the mascara runs on her face. "Yo, what's wrong?" He asked, a look of concern grafted on his face.

Sinead shrugged. "Nothing." She said, swallowing, trying not to let Jonah's words affect her.

Because she was lying. There was something wrong...with her. She was a cripple, she was a freak of nature...something that no guy could ever love.

Jonah placed his hand on her shoulder, and Sinead stiffened, thinking of all the scars underneath her shirt. She shrugged Jonah off and stalked angrily to her room she shared with Amy.

Throwing open the door, she looked around her at the general girl mess that was everywhere. Clothes were tossed on the floor haphazardly, makeup brushes, mascara bottles, and eyeshadow palettes were all arranged somewhat sloppily on the dresser.

Sinead sighed, and walked into the bathroom connected to the room to wash her face.

She stared at herself in the mirror, and turning on the faucet, she began to slowly, methodically, scrub her face.

* * *

Jonah stared at the spot where Sinead had last been standing. What had he done wrong?

She'd come in looking like one of her relatives had died, and he'd asked what was wrong. He mentally cringed at the "Yo" he'd accidentally thrown in.

He turned and went to find Dan. Maybe Dan could help him understand. After all, Dan had a sister, so maybe he understood girl stuff. Heck...maybe Sinead was just on her period, and her hormones were swinging. Or maybe...

He paused, and smiled to himself. Yes, Dan had trained him well.

oO0Oo

He found Dan sitting on the couch, in the exact same spot they had been sitting earlier. He walked up to him, and asked, "Yo, Dan, I need some help."

Dan looked up, and patted the seat next to him. Jonah sat down heavily, causing the couch to squeak, and then he poured out his problems to Dan.

Dan listened attentively, and then smiled. "I think your theories are right." He said. But then he frowned. "Maybe you should ask Amy. Her and Sinead are close."

Jonah nodded, and stood up. But when he saw who Amy was surrounded by, Ian, Jake and...Hamilton? He groaned. "Maybe I should just give up Sinead and go join Amy Cahill's fan club."

Dan shook his head, a desperate look in his eyes. "No!" He said. "I'm starting to feel male hormones surge whenever Amy walks into the room. Its nice to have one guy _NOT_ looking at her."

Jonah rolled his eyes. "I was kidding." He said, mentally cringing.

Sure, Amy was gorgeous, even he would admit that. But compared to Sinead...she was just some random person, when he could have the queen. "Why go for the vegetables when you could have your cake?" He asked Dan, who smiled, and nodded his approval.

He was still standing, and he looked down at Dan. "Do you think I dare interrupt there little party?"

Dan rolled his jade orbs. "Just go." He said.

Jonah nodded, and hesitantly approached the queen and her minions.

Feeling like who peasant, coming to beg favors, he approached Amy and cleared his throat. Amy whirled around and smiled at him, "Oh, hey Jonah." She said, grinning.

Ian, Jake, and Hamilton glared at Jonah, who tried not to shrink. "Uh, hey." He said. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked, putting on his best smile.

"Sure." Hamilton said.

Jonah groaned. "No...Amy." He smiled, trying to look like someone Amy would waste her time talking to.

Amy nodded. "Sure, Jonah." She stepped away from the little group, and turned to Jonah. "Where do you want to talk?" She asked.

Jonah nodded his head towards the door and said, "Outside."

They walked outside into the sweet smelling air. The birds twittered their song, and fluffy white clouds floated in the sky like foaming waves in a blue ocean. The air held a sweet smell, like honeysuckle, and Amy twirled around on the soft grass.

Then she stopped abruptly, apologized, and said to Jonah, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Jonah frowned. "Its Sinead."

Amy sighed. "Jonah, every single one of us knows you like her, except Sinead. She wanders around, and something is bugging her, and I think I know what it is, but I'm not sure."

Jonah arched his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"She's scarred." Amy said. Then she added, "I mean, that's what I think. Ned told me something like that too, and I'm with him. She always wears long sleeves, and never once have I seen her wear a low cut shirt.

"One time, I walked in on her changing, and I caught a glimpse of a scarred back. I walked out before she knew that I saw." Amy sighed. "Jonah, I think she's ashamed of her scars, and afraid that no one will like her because of them. "

Jonah sighed. "Well, that's going to help me. I can see it know. 'Yo, Sinead. I know you're scarred. But its ok. I still like you. ' Not at all weird."

Amy laughed. "Don't say it like that. Just go up to her, and admit you like her, and, I don't know, ask her out. She's bound to say yes."

Jonah shook his head. "No, she won't. She hates me. She's scared of me. I can see it in her eyes."

Amy shook her head, and then she looked right into Jonah's eyes. Her green eyes were serious, and they bored into his honey orbs, causing him to be silent. "She's not scared of _you,_ Jonah, she's scared of what you'll think. She hates what you'll _think_ not _you_ personally."

She sighed again, dropping her eyes to the green carpet they were standing on. "There's nothing else I can tell you to do."

* * *

Sinead felt the tears well up in her eyes as she looked down at the ground, where Amy was staring into Jonah's eyes.

They were having a serious conversation, and when it was over, Jonah gave Amy a long hug. Then he took her hand and squeezed it, and smiled down at her, saying something Sinead couldn't hear.

Grabbing herself, she wrapped her arms around her torso, and sat down on her bed, and rocked back and forth, trying to comfort herself, and still the rush of tears that threatened to flow down her cheeks.

She was such a fool. Jonah would never look at her. He was looking at Amy, along with every other dumbo boy in the whole Cahill clan. Sighing, she stood up, and decided that she needed to leave.

She would come up with some excuse to leave the stupid reunion, and Amy would eat it up. Then she could leave, and go find something else to spend her time thinking about.

Sinead told herself that she wouldn't care if she left, that no one would notice she was gone, but she knew she was lying. If no one else cared, if no one else noticed, Amy did.

Amy had always been there for her, and Amy had seen how she had been hurting, even during the Vesper "incident".

Maybe Amy would understand, and maybe Sinead wouldn't have to tell Amy another lie.

Breathing deeply, she stood up, and methodically began packing her things.

* * *

Jonah strode toward Sinead's room, telling himself all along that he _could_ tell Sinead about his feelings for her. But the closer he got to her room, the stronger his desire became...to turn around, run away, and hide behind the couch.

Fighting that urge, he reached her door, and knocked. There was no answer, so he knocked again.

The door cracked open, and Sinead's face came into view. "Hi." She said, sounding tired.

"Uh...hey." Jonah said. "Can I come in?"

Sinead looked panicked, and then nodded. Opening the door, he stepped inside, and had to resist the urge to gasp.

There were clothes _everywhere_. On the bed, dresser, chair, nightstand...you name it, there were clothes there. Sinead turned red as she saw Jonah's gaze flicker over some...rather awkward items of clothing.

"Umm..." She said, blushing. "Its not _all_ my stuff."

Jonah smiled. "You make me look super clean and tidy."

Sinead stared at him, leaning against the wall. "What did you want, Jonah." She said, breaking the awkward silence. "No one comes and talks to me just to talk."

"I do." Jonah blurted.

Sinead arched an eyebrow. "Really? Why?"

Jonah swallowed hard. "Sinead," He said. "I..." He gulped, steeling himself. "I really like you, Sinead, in more than a friend way, if you get my meaning."

Sinead gasped, and hardened up. "Right." She said. "Is this a dare, or something? I can just see Dan right now, standing outside with a recorder. If you expect me to fall for it, I'm not. I just saw you and Amy out the window, having a real flirty conversation. I'm leaving, Jonah. You can play your little games with Amy, because she'll fall for them."

Then, she shoved him out the door, and slammed and locked it in his face.

He stood outside, staring at the shut door, and realized with a start that she'd been watching him, from out the window. And he'd taken his little conversation with Amy to be...romantic? Flirty?

Then he remembered the hug, and how he'd squeezed Amy's hand in thanks. Smacking his palm to his forehead, he angrily stalked off, and went to find Amy.

* * *

Sinead gripped the wheel of her car, struggling to breathe through the tears. She'd known Jonah wouldn't like her...but it was still cruel to smack into a brick wall, even if you knew you were heading for it.

Tears ran down her face, and she closed her eyes. Methodically, she turned the corner, glancing back at the house. She saw Jonah come rushing out of the house, and stare forlornly at the road.

Closing her eyes, she felt her body shudder, and then she heard the loud blaring car horn.

Her eyes flew open and she saw she was in the middle of the lane, running a red light. "Shit." She screamed. "Shit. Shit. Shit."

All she heard was the crunching of metal, and a car slammed into her from the side. Her head smashed through the window, and she felt a throbbing pain in her head. Panic gripped her, and she screamed.

She saw the blood in her eyes, dripping from her bruised and bashed head. She vaguely saw her legs, the blood, the cuts, and all she could think was, "I'm scarred. Again."

* * *

Jonah heard the metal crunching, and the sound of breaking glass.

He'd seen the car leave, and he turned and ran into the house, pulling his cell out of his pocket as he ran. Dialing 911 he briefly explained the situation, and then ran into the living room, where Amy was surrounded by her group of fans.

His eyes held a desperate, crazed look, and everyone stared at him oddly as he ran into the room. "Amy!" He screamed. "Sinead...Sinead crashed...she ran a red light."

Amy's eyes opened wide. "What?" She said, astonished. "Did you call the police."

Jonah nodded. "Yes. They're sending an ambulance. Come on. I don't want to go by myself."

Amy nodded, and she ran out the door after Jonah.

His feet pounded on the concrete, and he ran towards the wreck.

It was bad.

Sinead's car was completely smashed on one side, and the other car's front was smashed.

Traffic was stopped, completely, seeing as the accident was in the middle of the intersection. Amy and Jonah ran over and reached Sinead's car just as the ambulance arrived.

The windshield was broken, and the driver's side window was smashed in.

"How?" Amy asked. "The accident was on that side?"

Jonah gasped. "Her head."

The paramedic ran towards Sinead's car, and opened the door. He grimaced. "This is not good." He said.

All Jonah saw was the red that trickled out. Another paramedic came to help, and he saw them unload her.

Her face was pale, with streaks of red blood running from a laceration above her eyes. Blood dripped from her nose, and glass was everywhere, including on her.

Jonah watched, remembering nothing, the events a blur.

A towtruck, the ambulance leaving. The police interviewing him on what happened. News reporters showing up.

And all Jonah remembered was Sinead's pale face, her eyes tightly shut, and glass.

* * *

When she awoke, she was hooked up to a million different machines, and Jonah was standing above her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

Jonah shrugged. "I came to see you?" His words sounded like a question.

Sinead shut her eyes. "No, you didn't. Where's Amy?"

Jonah sighed. "Sinead. Why don't you understand. I don't like Amy! I love you!"

Sinead shut her eyes, refusing to believe it. Her mind raced. _Maybe he's not lying._ "You're lying."

"No." Jonah protested, his eyes boring into hers. "I'm not."

"No. No! You wouldn't even want to look at me if you knew!"

Jonah cocked his head. "Knew what?"

Sinead shut her eyes, and whispered. "I'm scarred."

"I know." Jonah said. "Amy told me."

Suddenly, Sinead felt stupid, and dumb. "But...I thought..." She let her words trail off, not knowing what to say.

"I want you to think this." Jonah paused. "Jonah Wizard loves you... even with your scars. In fact, he thinks that's cool. Now go to sleep."

She shut her eyes, his words ringing in her head. And then she heard his soft whisper in her ear. "I love you."

And she fell asleep, his words echoing in her mind, and his soft kiss remaining on her cheek.

* * *

 **I'm hoping the ending wasn't too rushed...**

 **Please leave me a review, and say "Congrats" to scrittore18.**

 **Oh, and while you're at it, leave scrittore18 a review on her story too. :DDDDDD**


End file.
